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Fila M, Pawlowska E, Szczepanska J, Blasiak J. Epigenetic Connections of the TRPA1 Ion Channel in Pain Transmission and Neurogenic Inflammation - a Therapeutic Perspective in Migraine? Mol Neurobiol 2023; 60:5578-5591. [PMID: 37326902 PMCID: PMC10471718 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-023-03428-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Persistent reprogramming of epigenetic pattern leads to changes in gene expression observed in many neurological disorders. Transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily A member 1 (TRPA1), a member of the TRP channels superfamily, is activated by many migraine triggers and expressed in trigeminal neurons and brain regions that are important in migraine pathogenesis. TRP channels change noxious stimuli into pain signals with the involvement of epigenetic regulation. The expression of the TRPA1 encoding gene, TRPA1, is modulated in pain-related syndromes by epigenetic alterations, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and effects of non-coding RNAs: micro RNAs (miRNAs), long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs. TRPA1 may change epigenetic profile of many pain-related genes as it may modify enzymes responsible for epigenetic modifications and expression of non-coding RNAs. TRPA1 may induce the release of calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP), from trigeminal neurons and dural tissue. Therefore, epigenetic regulation of TRPA1 may play a role in efficacy and safety of anti-migraine therapies targeting TRP channels and CGRP. TRPA1 is also involved in neurogenic inflammation, important in migraine pathogenesis. The fundamental role of TRPA1 in inflammatory pain transmission may be epigenetically regulated. In conclusion, epigenetic connections of TRPA1 may play a role in efficacy and safety of anti-migraine therapy targeting TRP channels or CGRP and they should be further explored for efficient and safe antimigraine treatment. This narrative/perspective review presents information on the structure and functions of TRPA1 as well as role of its epigenetic connections in pain transmission and potential in migraine therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Fila
- Department of Developmental Neurology and Epileptology, Polish Mother's Memorial Hospital Research Institute, 93-338, Lodz, Poland
| | - Elzbieta Pawlowska
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-217, Lodz, Poland
| | - Joanna Szczepanska
- Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Medical University of Lodz, 92-217, Lodz, Poland
| | - Janusz Blasiak
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Lodz, 90-236, Lodz, Poland.
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Celsi F, Peri F, Cavasin J, Zupin L, Cozzi G, Barbi E, Crovella S. Transient Receptor Potential Ankyrin 1 (TRPA1) Methylation and Chronic Pain: A Systematic Review. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:411. [PMID: 36833338 PMCID: PMC9957263 DOI: 10.3390/genes14020411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Revised: 02/02/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Chronic pain represents a major global health issue in terms of psycho-physiological, therapeutic, and economic burden, not limited to adults but also to the pediatric age. Despite its great impact, its molecular mechanisms have still not been completely unraveled. Focusing on the impact of epigenetics in the pain complex trait, we assessed the association between chronic pain and the methylation pattern of TRPA1, a key gene related to pain sensitivity. METHODS We conducted a systematic review retrieving articles from three different databases. After deduplication, 431 items were subjected to manual screening, and then 61 articles were selected and screened again. Of these, only six were maintained for meta-analysis and analyzed using specific R packages. RESULTS Six articles were divided into two groups (group 1: comparison of mean methylation levels between healthy subjects and patients with chronic pain; group 2: correlation between mean methylation levels and pain sensation). A non-significant mean difference was obtained from the analysis of group 1 with a value of 3.97 (95% C.I. -7.79; 15.73). Analysis of group 2 showed a high level of variability between studies (correlation = 0.35, 95% C.I. -0.12; 0.82) due to their heterogeneity (I2 = 97%, p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Despite the high variability observed in the different studies analyzed, our results suggest that hypermethylation and increased pain sensitivity could be connected, possibly due to the variation of TRPA1 expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fulvio Celsi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Francesca Peri
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Julia Cavasin
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Luisa Zupin
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Giorgio Cozzi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
| | - Egidio Barbi
- Institute for Maternal and Child Health-IRCCS Burlo Garofolo, 34137 Trieste, Italy
- Department of Medicine, Surgery, and Health Sciences, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Sergio Crovella
- Biological Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar
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Irfan J, Febrianto MR, Sharma A, Rose T, Mahmudzade Y, Di Giovanni S, Nagy I, Torres-Perez JV. DNA Methylation and Non-Coding RNAs during Tissue-Injury Associated Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020752. [PMID: 35054943 PMCID: PMC8775747 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020752] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
While about half of the population experience persistent pain associated with tissue damages during their lifetime, current symptom-based approaches often fail to reduce such pain to a satisfactory level. To provide better patient care, mechanism-based analgesic approaches must be developed, which necessitates a comprehensive understanding of the nociceptive mechanism leading to tissue injury-associated persistent pain. Epigenetic events leading the altered transcription in the nervous system are pivotal in the maintenance of pain in tissue injury. However, the mechanisms through which those events contribute to the persistence of pain are not fully understood. This review provides a summary and critical evaluation of two epigenetic mechanisms, DNA methylation and non-coding RNA expression, on transcriptional modulation in nociceptive pathways during the development of tissue injury-associated pain. We assess the pre-clinical data and their translational implication and evaluate the potential of controlling DNA methylation and non-coding RNA expression as novel analgesic approaches and/or biomarkers of persistent pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jahanzaib Irfan
- Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK; (J.I.); (M.R.F.); (A.S.); (T.R.); (Y.M.)
| | - Muhammad Rizki Febrianto
- Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK; (J.I.); (M.R.F.); (A.S.); (T.R.); (Y.M.)
| | - Anju Sharma
- Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK; (J.I.); (M.R.F.); (A.S.); (T.R.); (Y.M.)
| | - Thomas Rose
- Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK; (J.I.); (M.R.F.); (A.S.); (T.R.); (Y.M.)
| | - Yasamin Mahmudzade
- Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK; (J.I.); (M.R.F.); (A.S.); (T.R.); (Y.M.)
| | - Simone Di Giovanni
- Department of Brain Sciences, Division of Neuroscience, Imperial College London, E505, Burlington Danes, Du Cane Road, London W12 ONN, UK;
| | - Istvan Nagy
- Nociception Group, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Division of Anaesthetics, Pain Medicine and Intensive Care, Chelsea and Westminster Hospital Campus, Imperial College London, 369 Fulham Road, London SW10 9FJ, UK; (J.I.); (M.R.F.); (A.S.); (T.R.); (Y.M.)
- Correspondence: (I.N.); (J.V.T.-P.)
| | - Jose Vicente Torres-Perez
- Department of Brain Sciences, Dementia Research Institute, Imperial College London, 86 Wood Ln, London W12 0BZ, UK
- Departament de Biologia Cellular, Biologia Funcional i Antropologia Física, Facultat de Ciències Biològiques, Universitat de València, C/Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Spain
- Correspondence: (I.N.); (J.V.T.-P.)
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Epigenetic signature of chronic low back pain in human T cells. Pain Rep 2021; 6:e960. [PMID: 34746619 PMCID: PMC8568391 DOI: 10.1097/pr9.0000000000000960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. This study reveals sex-specific DNA methylation signatures in human T cells that discriminate chronic low back pain participants from healthy controls. Objective: Determine if chronic low back pain (LBP) is associated with DNA methylation signatures in human T cells that will reveal novel mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets and explore the feasibility of epigenetic diagnostic markers for pain-related pathophysiology. Methods: Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis of 850,000 CpG sites in women and men with chronic LBP and pain-free controls was performed. T cells were isolated (discovery cohort, n = 32) and used to identify differentially methylated CpG sites, and gene ontologies and molecular pathways were identified. A polygenic DNA methylation score for LBP was generated in both women and men. Validation was performed in an independent cohort (validation cohort, n = 63) of chronic LBP and healthy controls. Results: Analysis with the discovery cohort revealed a total of 2,496 and 419 differentially methylated CpGs in women and men, respectively. In women, most of these sites were hypomethylated and enriched in genes with functions in the extracellular matrix, in the immune system (ie, cytokines), or in epigenetic processes. In men, a unique chronic LBP DNA methylation signature was identified characterized by significant enrichment for genes from the major histocompatibility complex. Sex-specific polygenic DNA methylation scores were generated to estimate the pain status of each individual and confirmed in the validation cohort using pyrosequencing. Conclusion: This study reveals sex-specific DNA methylation signatures in human T cells that discriminates chronic LBP participants from healthy controls.
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Eller OC, Glidden N, Knight B, McKearney N, Perry M, Bernier Carney KM, Starkweather A, Young EE, Baumbauer KM. A Role for Global DNA Methylation Level and IL2 Expression in the Transition From Acute to Chronic Low Back Pain. FRONTIERS IN PAIN RESEARCH 2021; 2:744148. [PMID: 35295525 PMCID: PMC8915771 DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2021.744148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives: The transition from acute low back pain (aLBP) to chronic LBP (cLBP) results from a variety of factors, including epigenetic modifications of DNA. The aim of this study was to (1) compare global DNA (gDNA) methylation and histone acetylation at LBP onset between the aLBP and cLBP participants, (2) compare mRNA expression of genes with known roles in the transduction, maintenance, and/or modulation of pain between the aLBP and cLBP participants, (3) compare somatosensory function and pain ratings in our participants, and (4) determine if the aforementioned measurements were associated.Methods: A total of 220 participants were recruited for this prospective observational study following recent onset of an episode of LBP. We retained 45 individuals whose gDNA was of sufficient quality for analysis. The final sample included 14 participants whose pain resolved within 6 weeks of onset (aLBP),15 participants that reported pain for 6 months (cLBP), and 16 healthy controls. Participants were subjected to quantitative sensory testing (QST), blood was drawn via venipuncture, gDNA isolated, and global DNA methylation and histone acetylation, as well as mRNA expression of 84 candidate genes, were measured.Results: Individuals that develop cLBP display multimodal somatosensory hypersensitivity relative to aLBP participants. cLBP participants also had significantly lower global DNA methylation, which was negatively correlated with interleukin-2 (IL2) mRNA expression.Discussion: cLBP is characterized by somatosensory hypersensitivity, lower global DNA methylation, and higher IL2 expression level compared to those whose pain will resolve quickly (aLBP). These results suggest potential diagnostic and therapeutic relevance for global DNA methylation and IL2 expression in the pathology underlying the transition from acute to chronic LBP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia C. Eller
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
| | - Nicole Glidden
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Brittany Knight
- Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Noelle McKearney
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
| | - Mallory Perry
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Katherine M. Bernier Carney
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Angela Starkweather
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
| | - Erin E. Young
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Department of Genetics and Genome Sciences, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- *Correspondence: Erin E. Young
| | - Kyle M. Baumbauer
- Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
- Center for Advancement in Managing Pain, School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, United States
- Department of Neuroscience, UConn Health, Farmington, CT, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, KS, United States
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Aroke EN, Overstreet DS, Penn TM, Crossman DK, Jackson P, Tollefsbol TO, Quinn TL, Yi N, Goodin BR. Identification of DNA methylation associated enrichment pathways in adults with non-specific chronic low back pain. Mol Pain 2021; 16:1744806920972889. [PMID: 33169629 PMCID: PMC7658508 DOI: 10.1177/1744806920972889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic low back pain (cLBP) that cannot be attributable to a specific pathoanatomical change is associated with high personal and societal costs. Still, the underlying mechanism that causes and sustains such a phenotype is largely unknown. Emerging evidence suggests that epigenetic changes play a role in chronic pain conditions. Using reduced representation bisulfite sequencing (RRBS), we evaluated DNA methylation profiles of adults with non-specific cLBP (n = 50) and pain-free controls (n = 48). We identified 28,325 hypermethylated and 36,936 hypomethylated CpG sites (p < 0.05). After correcting for multiple testing, we identified 159 DMRs (q < 0.01and methylation difference > 10%), the majority of which were located in CpG island (50%) and promoter regions (48%) on the associated genes. The genes associated with the differentially methylated regions were highly enriched in biological processes that have previously been implicated in immune signaling, endochondral ossification, and G-protein coupled transmissions. Our findings support inflammatory alterations and the role of bone maturation in cLBP. This study suggests that epigenetic regulation has an important role in the pathophysiology of non-specific cLBP and a basis for future studies in biomarker development and targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edwin N Aroke
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Demario S Overstreet
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Terence M Penn
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - David K Crossman
- Department of Genetics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Pamela Jackson
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Trygve O Tollefsbol
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Tammie L Quinn
- Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Nengjun Yi
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Burel R Goodin
- School of Nursing, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.,Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Møller Johansen L, Gerra MC, Arendt-Nielsen L. Time course of DNA methylation in pain conditions: From experimental models to humans. Eur J Pain 2020; 25:296-312. [PMID: 33063322 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Throughout the last decade, research has uncovered associations between pain and epigenetic alterations caused by environmental factors. Specifically, studies have demonstrated correlations between pain conditions and altered DNA methylation patterns. Thus, DNA methylation has been revealed as a possible modulator or contributor to pain conditions, providing a potential therapeutic target for treatment by DNA methylation modification. To develop such treatments, it is necessary to clarify a wide number of aspects on how DNA methylation affects pain perception; first and foremost, the temporal dynamics. The objective of the present review is to provide an overview of current knowledge on temporal dynamics of DNA methylation in response to pain, and to investigate if a timeframe can be established based on the data of currently published studies. DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT PubMed, MEDLINE, Google Scholar and Embase were searched comprehensively for studies of DNA methylation in neuropathic, inflammatory and alternative animal pain models, and in chronic pain patients including Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, chronic postsurgical pain, chronic widespread pain, fibromyalgia and Crohn's disease. RESULTS We identified 34 articles highlighting variations in temporal dynamics of DNA methylation across species and between different types of pain. These studies represent a starting point to uncover new insights in the DNA methylation time course in pain. CONCLUSIONS No timeframe can currently be made for the DNA methylation response to pain in any of the reviewed conditions, highlighting an important focus area for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lonnie Møller Johansen
- Department of Health Science and Technology, The Faculty of Medicine, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Maria Carla Gerra
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI®, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Lars Arendt-Nielsen
- Center for Neuroplasticity and Pain (CNAP), SMI®, Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
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